Sketch after "Four White Petals" 1960

Alexander Calder made this sketch after "Four White Petals" with ink on paper. Look at the way Calder uses black ink to define these shapes. There's a real sense of immediacy, a directness in the application. It feels like he's thinking through form, not just depicting it, and that's what makes the process visible and so engaging. The ink has pooled in places, creating these juicy, dark areas that contrast with the thin, almost tentative lines. It's a beautiful dance between control and chance. See that dark, blobby form at the bottom left? It anchors the whole composition, but it's also playful, almost cartoonish. Then, the triangles above, kind of floating. Calder reminds me a little of Joan Miró, in that they both have this incredible ability to make the abstract feel so alive, so full of potential energy. Art is always a conversation, a back-and-forth across time, with everyone adding their own voice, their own perspective. And there’s no final word, only more questions, more possibilities.